It’s a Wonderful Life – 2060: Chapter Seven

The Book of Edie

“As you grow older, Edie, and things don’t happen the way you hoped they would, try to be mindful of the story of Job. Then decide how you choose your own ending.” – Hilda Wilson At age 16, Edie had the perfect blend of beauty, brains and talent. She also had a diagnosis of the crippling and misunderstood disease of multiple sclerosis. Her response was not what one would expect, even as additional problems pursued her, and the realities of life took turns she hadn’t counted on. The Book of Edie uses a story of the modern era to reexamine stories from the Old and New Testaments that many of us have become familiar with in simpler forms through children’s books, religious study groups, TV shows and movies. Using the science of the 20th and 21st centuries, “The Book of Edie” explores the source of our talents and strengths, and how, despite our weaknesses, we may have the ability to choose our destiny throughout our life rather than having it chosen for us. Although the book contains religious themes, it’s primarily about the science of our times, the mysteries of humanity and a universe we still don’t understand. But, most of all, it’s about the complexities of the human race, the scriptures that are timeless, and one woman’s journey to overcome the odds and use all that her DNA had given her — for better and for wors

The Little Green Car - Novel

Though Dillon’s wife, Doris, passed away after more than 50 years of marriage, her death didn’t diminish the relationship they’d shared. Instead, it enabled a second act to be added to their story, one that proved that love doesn’t have to die, but sometimes just requires a slightly altered ending. 82-year old Dillon Everette lost his wife to pancreatic cancer in April 2029. Following her death, Dillon remained in his home, but his three children thought that he should move to a retirement community, and perhaps even cease to drive due to a few mishaps of his that disturbed them. They loved their father, but Dillon, who still conversed with his deceased wife, strove to maintain his independence. The children’s infringement on his life provoked Dillon to escape from his home and them by planning a trip south in his 1953 MG TD, which he’d rebuilt himself nearly 35 years ago. Assisted by his financial advisor, he made sure that his house, property and finances were in order, and decided to retrace some of the trips taken during his earlier life with his wife and young family by heading south in the MG on his deceased wife’s birthday, November 13th. After a few days on the road, he became involved in an incident from which he emerged a hero and acclaimed for his bravery on national news. His children read and heard about their father’s adventure, and thought he had lost his mind and, but Dillon was approached by a documentary film producer to possibly record the story of his life and his accomplishments. The Little Green Car is about aging, the desire for independence, and the possibilities of a life that extends past the age of what many would call “elderly.” It’s about how we see ourselves as we get older as well as how others see us. It’s also about the ways we can look ahead. plans for the future, while understanding the inevitability and the limitations of our lives moving forward.

A Victorious Life – Click image below to purchase novel

The novel A Victorious Life is semi-autobiographical, with the main character, Ted Arundson, loosely based on my life, work, and experiences. There are some distinct differences. I am not at this time 80 years old. I have two daughters and two stepsons, but none are adopted or of African-American descent. I do, however, have two stepgrandsons who are black. All of the artwork attributed to Ted Arundson has been of my creation. My wife, Barbara, does not have Alzheimer’s disease, and I predict she will not have an early death. But one of my two daughters does live in Penn Run, Pennsylvania, with her husband, Chuck, a son, Wyatt, and a daughter, Lilly. And Chuck has purchased land near their home as an investment for the future. At this point I have written seven books, but none are titled Predictions. Many of the characters in this novel are based on people I know, including Dave Lawson, Midge McClosky, Leo and Martha Kob and Drew Saunders. Steve Martin and Michael Abels are celebrated people for whom I’ve given a speculative and imaginary future. The play Hart, Broken is one I wrote prior to this novel, and which I have entered into a contest at the Shawnee Playhouse, the theater for which Midge McClosky is, in fact, the artistic director. The adapted play, Hart and Soul, has not been written. I did, however, compose the lyrics to the song “The Hanging Tree” and the poem, written for Helen, Victorious Youth Discovered. I also wrote the novel It’s a Wonderful Life - 2060 in which my character, Juniper Blakely, builds a robotic train layout for the Jimmy Stewart Museum in Indiana, Pennsylvania. I have not written, and most likely will never write, a novel that will win the National Book Award for Fiction, be asked to consult for NASA, or have any of my novels adapted for film or have them become the inspiration for a Netflix or any other series. Those are my fantasies. Although the reader need not know the information provided above, it may offer insights into the inspiration for this novel, and the ideas I’ve formulated on life, success, family and my hopes and fears for my years ahead.A Victorious Life

Samsonite - a novel

Sigma Medolf was a polymath, a person possessing wide-ranging knowledge, who had been inventing products since his early teen years. His most successful invention was an updated AI version of the Magic 8 Ball. Originally created in the 1940s, the oversized billiard ball was a plaything from which people could seek advice by asking it “Yes“ or “No” questions and then rotating the ball to find the answers. Sigma succeeded in updating its mechanism and the questions it could answer. As a diverse learner, Sigma wasn’t a particularly good student, so although he achieved success as an inventor early in his life, he found it difficult to gain entry into Stanford University due to his low grade point average and standardized testing scores. Sigma’s unusual learning and teaching style became evident when he was accidentally directed to the image of a Samsonite Freeform Spinner suitcase while on a search for a container to house components needed for an entry in a competition sponsored by the National Science Foundation in 2030. Over time, Sigma adapted the suitcase to accommodate numerous devices, but eventually scaling the assembly down to a handheld unit, then to an app, and finally to a system devoid of components of any kind. In the process, he partnered with entrepreneurs who shared his passion and helped him develop products that eventually would improve the lives of the blind, foster altruism, and expand the legacies of individuals around the world. Samsonite is the story of how a creative person adapted his skills to conquer personal inadequacies in order to proactively change the course of human existence and help protect life on our fragile planet from extinction.

About the Author

George Rothacker is a celebrated artist, filmmaker and designer who shares a long history with the Jimmy Stewart Museum, In 2002, he painted “First Snowfall,” a canvas and print edition featuring “It’s a Wonderful Life” on the marquee of the Indiana Theater. Over the years, his collaboration with the Museum has produced, among other things, the biographic documentary of Stewart: “Always Be Nice to People.” George and his wife, Barbara, live in Villanova, Pennsylvania and are parents to four children and grandparents to eight. George’s daughter, Noelle, graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2002, and now lives with her family in the community of Penn Run, a short drive from the Stewart Museum.

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Friday, September 12, 2025

Chapter Seven – Pittsburgh Bound